Parts Of Canada Are In For 'Vibrant Sunsets' That Look More Red Because Of Wildfire Smoke
Parts of Canada are set to see "vibrant sunsets" that look more red than usual because smoke from wildfires in Alberta and B.C. is blowing east.
The Weather Network has forecast that the impacts of a heavy smoke plume from those fires will be felt "thousands of kilometres away" on the other side of the country this week.
Currently, there are more than 50 active fires in B.C. and more than 80 in Alberta that are creating "intense smoke" along with poor air quality across western and northern parts of Canada, according to the same outlet.
Alberta has declared a state of emergency because of the wildfires, as thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes.
The provincial government said that the fires started for a number of reasons, including lightning and human action, but "unusually warm, dry weather and strong winds" has made it easier for blazes to start and then spread.
Currently, the entire province is under a fire ban.
The Weather Network shared that most of the smoke in the lowest levels of the atmosphere will stay in the communities that are closest to the active fires.
But it's expected that the winds will shift and allow smoke from the wildfires to get trapped in upper levels of the atmosphere and then blow thousands of kilometres to the east across the northern hemisphere.
Signs of the travelling smoke have been spotted on satellite imagery across parts of Ontario and western Quebec, The Weather Network said.
According to the forecast, southern Ontario and Quebec are in for relatively clear skies throughout most of this week, so if you see a haze in the sky during the day, it's the wildfire smoke.
Also, the smoke getting trapped in the atmosphere means that parts of eastern Canada, including Ontario and Quebec, could experience sunrises and sunsets that are more vibrant over the next few days.
That's because red light passes through smoke particles more easily than blue light which causes sunsets and sunrises to be brighter and more red, The Weather Network explained.
If you're looking ahead to what the weather will be like across the country this summer, Canada's summer forecast from the Farmers' Almanac has predicted "sizzling temperatures."
Most of the country is forecast to have a warmer-than-normal summer and the heat could be "unrelenting" at times from June to September!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
